INFO: Selective Initialization of Array Elements Not Allowed

 Last reviewed: August 26, 1997
Article ID: Q39310

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft C for MS-DOS, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0ax
  • Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.5, 1.51, 1.52
  • Microsoft Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, version 1.0, 2.0, 2.1, 4.0, 5.0

SUMMARY

The ANSI C standard does not allow selective initialization of array elements with the following syntax: 

   char MyArray[10] = {'a','b',,'d',,'f','g',,'i','j'};
This attempt at selective initialization is not correct and will generate a "Syntax Error" at compile time as follows. 

   error C2059: syntax error : ','
The following two declarations will compile and are valid declarations for Microsoft C version 5.1 and later:

  1. The initialization of all the elements of the array is as follows: 

          char MyArray[10] = {'a','b','c','d','e','f','g','h','i','j'};

  2. The initialization of the first characters in the array is as follows: 

          char MyArray[10] = {'a','b','c','d','e'};

Keywords          : CLngIss
Version           : MS-DOS:6.0,6.00a,6.00ax,7.0; WINDOWS:1.0,1.5,1.51,1.52;  WINDOWS NT:1.0,2.0,2.1,4.0,5.0
Platform          : MS-DOS NT WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbinfo

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Last reviewed: August 26, 1997
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